Yushin Okami vs. Chael Sonnen
Many thought Yushin Okami would simply run through Chael Sonnen with a dominant decision. They were right about the dominant decision and the running through, but it wasn't on the part of Okami. The Fight The first round began. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick and pushed forward and landed another, missed another. He shot in, Okami stuffed the single to the clinch. Sonnen landed a good body shot inside. Four twenty-five. Four fifteen. Sonnen got a high single-leg takedown to half-guard. Okami stood but Sonnen had the back still, dumped him down with big shots in under, Okami stood again, Sonnen dumped him down hard with more shots in under and he had one hook. Okami standing and Sonnen lost the hook. Sonnen landed a trio of knees to the buttocks and another and another and another knee as well. Three twenty. Another knee. Another. A foot stomp. Three minutes. A foot stomp and another. Sonnen leaped up and got both hooks. He lost them after a moment. Okami turned out and they broke. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick. Two twenty-five. Both were southpaw. Sonnen ate a good jab. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick and a blocked high kick. Two minutes. Sonnen was showing good head movement. Sonnen landed a good leg kick and a double jab. One thirty-five. Sonnen landed another good inside leg kick. Okami blocked a high kick. Sonnen landed another inside leg kick. Another a moment later. One minute with Sonnen shooting and getting a double-leg. 'He letted Yushin throw a punch!' Forty. Okami stood eating a few punches. Thirty-five. Sonnen landed a good left hand nicely. Twenty with Sonnen landing an inside leg kick. Sonnen landed a stiff jab. Ten. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick and a blocked high kick. The first round ended. 'Block and fire back,' Lindland told Sonnen, 'you're outworking him.' Mazzagatti warned Sonnen to keep them off the back of the head and Sonnen simply said 'yes.' The second round began. Sonnen came out quickly again. He landed an inside leg kick and a body kick. Sonnen wanted more hands now. Okami landed a big left hand. Sonnen kept coming. Sonnen missed a high kick. Four twenty-five. Sonnen shot in for the double, Okami stuffed it and ran, Sonnen kept the back and they stood with Sonnen retaining the back. He kneed the buttocks. A foot stomp lands for Sonnen with four minutes. One to the knee and another. He dragged Okami down. Okami turned in and they stood and broke. Three thirty-five. Sonnen landed a double jab. Okami ducked a high kick. Sonnen landed another nice double jab. He faked the high kick and missed a turning side kick nicely. Sonnen missed a big right and another turning kick. Three minutes. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick. Okami landed a jab. Okami landed a big left hand and Sonnen kept on coming though. Two thirty remaining. Sonnen landed a good one-two. Sonnen landed a good body shot. Sonnen landed a front kick. Sonnen landed a right hand and then a right hook. Two minutes. Okami blocked a high kick. Okami blocked another a moment or two later. One thirty-five. Sonnen landed another good right hook partially. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick. One fifteen. Sonnen caught a leg kick and tried a foot sweep and they broke. Sonnen landed a body kick with one minute. Sonnen landed a good left hand. Sonnen keeping the pressure on. Okami landed a jab. Sonnen landed an inside leg kick. Sonnen landed a nice left hand. Okami replied with a good jab. Sonnen landed another good left hand. Twenty-five remaining. Fifteen. Sonnen missed a body kick. He missed another turning side kick. The second round ended. 'This is so much fun to watch, because you keep doing everything perfect,' Lindland told Sonnen. Okami's corner was saying something in Japanese of course but it sounded like they wanted him to go into desperation mode. The third round began. They both came out quickly. They circled. Okami landed a stiff jab. Sonnen shot in, Okami stuffed the double and they broke and Sonnen landed a right hand. Four twenty-five remaining. Okami landed a left hand. Sonnen landed a good jab. Sonnen landed a left hand. Okami missed a short uppercut. Okami blocked a high kick. Four minutes. Okami landed a left hand. Three thirty-five. Okami missed a combination. Sonnen was winning a boxing match basically. Three fifteen remaining. Okami landed a body kick. Okami landed a good jab. Three minutes. Sonnen landed a good right hook. Sonnen's nose was bloodied up on the bridge of the nose. Sonnen with good head movement and he landed an inside leg kick. Sonnen shot with two thirty, Okami stuffed it, Sonnen lifted Okami up, Okami grabbed the fence but Sonnen dumped him down taking his back with both hooks, and he landed a pair of right hands in under. Six more in under. He lost a hook with two minutes. A few punches in under, the referee kept warning him to pick them wisely. Okami stood and the hooks were gone but the back was retained. One thirty-five. Sonnen kneed the buttocks. Another. Another. One fifteen with another knee. Another. A foot stomp. Another. One minute. Okami half-heartedly looking for a kimura there. He pulled guard with it looking for it fully now. Sonnen landed repetaed body shots. Okami let it go. He didn't like the body punches. Twenty-five. Sonnen landed a few lefts and a right. Okami turned giving up the back without hooks. Fifteen. Okami stood halfway and ate another pair of knees to the ass. The third round ended, Sonnen walked away as Okami stayed on one knee. Sonnen got the unanimous decision.